• Union Finance Minister reviews the performance of NaBFID.

• NaBFID
  • Genesis: Set up in 2021, by an Act of the Parliament (The NaBFID Act, 2021) as a specialised Development Finance Institution (DFI). 
  • Objectives 
    • Addressing the gaps in long-term non-recourse finance for infrastructure development.
    •  Strengthening the development of bonds and derivatives markets in India. 
    • Sustainably boosting the country’s economy.
  • Vision: Be a globally recognized strong provider of impact investment, catalysing infrastructure funding for transformative growth of India.
  • Regulation: Regulated as an All-India Financial Institution (AIFI) by RBI. 

• Named after President of India, by Zoological Survey of India M. droupadi is a new marine species of head-shield sea slug discovered from West Bengal and Odisha coast. 
• It shares habitat with Melanochlamys bengalensis which discovered in 2022, but differs morphologically. 
  • M. droupadi is smaller and has mottled brown to black colouration with a ruby red spot on the posterior shield.
• The sea slugs are rapid hunters. 
  • They feed upon mobile prey such as other shelled and unshelled sea slugs, roundworms, marine worms and small fishes.

• Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with  ISRO on UFS using Bhuvan.

• About UFS
  • It is conducted by Field Operations Division (FOD) of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
  • UFS block is envisaged to be a compact areal unit with 120-150 households in Urban areas.
  • It is conducted in five-year phases and serves as sampling frame in urban sector, mainly for NSSO large scale Socio-Economic Surveys.
  • The UFS in digital form was carried out for the first time during Phase 2017-22 using Bhuvan platform.

• DRDO successfully flight tested VSHORADS from a ground-based portable launcher  from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur.

• About VSHORADS missile
  • The indigenously developed missile is a MANPADS (man-portable air defence system).
  • Developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners. 
  • Consist many novel technologies including miniaturized Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics.
  • Propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor and is meant for neutralizing low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges.

• A new lancet study has revealed the world wide increase of Obesity 
• Obesity is defined as excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk.
  • A body mass index (BMI) over 30 is considered obese.

• Finding of Lancet
  • Worldwide Obesity rates among children and adults have increased four times (crossing 1 billion) from 1990 to 2022.
  • In India ~44 million women and 26 million men aged above 20 were found to be obese.

• Impact of obesity: High blood pressure, heart disease. Type 2 diabetes, breathing problems, etc.

• Union Minister of Women & Child Development launched the logo and the website for the Alliance for Global Good.

• About Alliance for Global Good-Gender Equity and Equality
  • It was launched by India with the support and endorsement of the World Economic Forum.
  • Aim: to bring together global best practices, foster knowledge sharing, and attract investments in key areas such as women’s health, education, and enterprise.
  • It builds on commitments of G20 Leaders’ Declaration and India’s dedication to women-led development.

• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment laid the foundation stone for residential hostels across states under PM-AJAY.

• PM-AJAY
  • Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
  • Key objectives: Reduce poverty of the Scheduled Castes communities, Increase literacy and encourage enrolment of SCs in schools, etc.
  • Scheme Components
    • Development of SC dominated villages into an “Adarsh Gram”. 
    • ‘Grants-in-aid' for District/State-level Projects for socio-economic betterment of SCs.
    • Construction of Hostels in HEIs which are top-ranked as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).
    • Financial support for Monitoring and Evaluation.

•  World’s first vedic clock, 'Vikramaditya Vedic Clock' which is based on Indian ‘panchang’ calculations was inaugurated.  
• Clock is located within Jantar Mantar in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) which is an observatory built by Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur in early 18th century.
  • Jantar Mantar was built in 5 cities which also includes Delhi, Mathura, Varanasi and Jaipur (it is a UNESCO world Heritage site).
• Ujjain is located at the precise point of interaction with zero meridian and Tropic of Cancer.
  • According to Hindu astronomical belief, Ujjain was once considered India’s central meridian, and the city determined country’s time zones and time difference.  

Nicaragua

(Capital: Managua)

• A group of UN-mandated experts said that Nicaragua's President have committed systematic human rights violations “tantamount to crimes against humanity.” 

• Political features
  • Location: Largest of the Central American republics.
  • Boundary
    • Land: Honduras to the north, and Costa Rica to the south
    • Maritime: Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

• Geographical features
  • Highest peak: Mogotón Peak
  • Major River: Coco River, San Juan River, Río Grande de Matagalpa 
  • Freshwater Lake: Lake Nicaragua (Largest in Central America). 
    • Ometepe Island is surrounded by Lake Nicaragua.